Drug crisis in Scotland

From 2015 onwards the mortality rate of drug misuse deaths in Scotland has increased rapidly, prompting calls of a 'national emergency' within the country over the crisis.

[8] Scottish mortality rates to drug misuse and related deaths are the highest in Europe,[10] and higher than the United States.

This is especially poignant in Dundee and Glasgow which have the worst drug-misuse mortality rate in the country (two times higher than the national average).

[9] 35-year-olds to 54-year-olds (this consists of two defined age groups) have the highest mortality rate compared to older and younger generations,[8] this accounts for two-thirds of drug-misuse/related deaths.

[9] Policy proposals to tackle the crisis have been suggested: In 2019, approximately 40% of drug users in Scotland were in treatment, while the figure was closer to 60% in England.